The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-12-10
CURRENT ITEMS.

1t is said shat an old law is still exs
tant in Virginia which imposes fine of
fifty pounds of tobacco on man if he
absents himself from church for one
month without valid excuse.
lin trial at Philadelphia. the other
day. the fact was brought out that two
young people, who were neighbors, had
been in the habit of doing their court
ing on the roof of house near by.
"A grape-grower near Albany pro-
tects his vineyards from thieves by
electricity. Wires connected with a
strong battery are scattered about
among the vines. and the rascal who
gets hold of one bowls until the master
of the vineyard comes and takes salts
faction out of him with club.
An astonishing frearm has been
introduced in France. II is Of French
origin. and is wonderful in the results
obtained. At three thousand feet dis
lance ninety-eight per cent of the
balls hit a number of baskets repre-
senting compan, of soldiers Colo
hui bCOtit tAC inNtHtDlf SAoOu W+e{iti
ten feet of target while one of his
friends fred at it 5000 feet Distant
Boston Budget.
"A new method for extracting sugar
from molasses has recently been pro-
posed by using wood spirits or methyl-
ic alcohol which has the property Of
completely dissolving molasses or
strip. Sugar and salts may be sepa-
rated as oxaiates. while the organic
acids and nitric substances remain in
the solution. We would remark that
there is much additional fire risk in this
process. as methylic alcohol is very i'm
fammable II Boston Budget.
Virginia is the great peanut-bcaring
State. and most of the crop is grown in
the counties south and east of Peters
burg. After Virginia. Tennessee and
North Carolina produce the largest
crops. In 1874 Virginia produced z25.-
900, Tennessee 175, 900 and North Car
olina 90, 600 bushels In 1884 Vir-
ginia's crop was 1.250, 600 bushels,
Tennessec's 1000. and North Caro-
liha's 10000. The average yield is
forty bushels per acre; the average
price 81 per bushel.
AT recent sale of autographs in
Boston one of Isaac Allerton, who
came here in the Mayfower, fetched
$28; an autograph poem Of William
Cullen Bryant. a.; letter of Robert
Browning. k2.25; Of Henry Ward
Beecher. 81. 70; of JEFF Davis, t1.y5.
and of Gens.al Garfield. rs cents.
Three pages Of manuscript signed by
Henry w. l.,fngfellow were sold for
$3. %; Que page of James Russell
Lowell, $l.8s; two pages Of Harriet
Martineau. 0L37; two pages Of
Christine Nil sson. 81. IL, and two pages
Of Wendell Phillips, 37A cents.
An intc-csting case Of the restor-
alton of payon apparently killed by
lightning WAS recently brought 10 the
attention of the Academy of Medicine
in the City OF Mexico. A large quantity
Of cold water. was thrown over the man
shortly after he was struck. This
treatment was continued until be
showed sigma Of consciousness and
complained OF the cold. Then soda
tives were administered. and in the
course of sixteen days the patient had
completely recovered. IN T. Ledger.
Several years ago watermelons
were almost unknown in California.
An old Missourian, who owned forty
acres near Lodi, and who had raised
the fruit in old Missouri, planted his
whole lot to melons. His neighbors
laughed at the idea of melons growing
without rain, and he was called the
boss crank of the country. But the
vines thrived and bore melons, 10000
Of them. and he cleared 500. 900 from
his forty acres; and now Lodi Is the
great melon district Of the Pacific
slope.
The Audubon Society for the pro-
lection of birds. founded in February,
1886, has attained a membership roll Of
10000. representing all parts of the
United States and Canada. Not less
notable than this remarkable numer-
ical strength is the society's success in
practically accomplishing the peculiar
mission its promotes had in view. The
Audubon workers have not only killed
the barbarous fashion Of bird-feather
v-~aring by women. but they are stead
lily r->moting widespread interest in
bird e;fa',' and awakening a general APP
preciatics # birds in their relation to
sgr;cultuv, ard other interests of man.